Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured on the show Castle, they belong to the creator of the show, ABC and the others who do own them.

A/N #1: Really nice to get the feedback for the last chapter so I'll start on my thank yous for that! TORONTOSUN (I was happy to see you like how everyone loves each other. And so great that you thought the last chapter was very well written too!) and

Mb (I was pleased you thought it was a nice update with them at home and doing their best to relax after the cases. And yeah, with everything going on in a multiple case investigation, some relaxation is needed! You're welcome for the first half of the chapter! I wasn't surprised at your laugh about that being the couples' absolute favorite way to relax with each other as you put it. And I was really happy that you thought that was nicely done with it showing them being together and as you said letting their love and passion take away the frustration of the case, it was definitely what I was aiming for! You're welcome for the second half of the chapter!).

Thanks for the reviews, I loved reading them and am grateful for the time taken to write them out and send them my way!

A/N #2: The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party written by Danny Elfman, from the Oingo Boingo album the same name as the song.

Waiting For An Invitation To Arrive

"Mama, I want food," Josie said.

"You're finished so we can go downstairs," Beckett said with a smile, having finished getting the toddler ready for the day. She kissed the side of her head before she said, "And I'm hungry too."

"So am I," Castle said, walking inside.

"Weren't you making breakfast?" Beckett asked him, smiling at Josie's squeal of pleasure at the sight of her father.

"Skye and Mary took over," Castle replied. "And without letting me tell them they didn't need to."

"That was likely the point," Beckett said, smiling again and walking over to where he was waiting for her in the doorway. She handed Josie to him when their youngest was leaning over and said, "How's Alexis?"

"I didn't…" Castle started to say slowly before he trailed off at the way his wife was looking at him. Clearing his throat he then said, "She's fine, Louis was getting ready, and she was ready to get out of bed."

"Oh no, don't tell me you carried her out of the bed," Beckett said in amusement.

"No," Castle replied firmly, smiling down at Josie when she was giggling. "I helped her."

"She doesn't need it," Beckett said.

"Mom's right," Julia said, walking up to them. "Just help for her balance."

"Okay, but she let me," Castle said.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "If she's not mad at you then it's fine."

"She isn't," Castle replied before they were walking down the hall to the top of the stairs. "Where's Eliza?" he asked, realizing they'd walked by her room, and it had been empty.

"With your mom," Beckett said. "Martha said she could help her with the costumes she's taking in next week. She wants to start getting them ready." She led her husband down the stairs, Julia keeping even with her before they were going to the game room first. But seeing the doors were closed she stopped her second oldest and said, "We better head to the kitchen."

"We're still eating in the room, right?" Julia asked as they turned and continued down the hall.

"We are," Castle answered before his wife could.

"Good," Julia said, nodding her head.

"I don't know if you'll have a chance to play anything before school," Mary said teasingly, walking down the hall with a stack of plates.

"I'd stop," Castle told the doctor. "The room isn't ready yet."

"Then I'll take these back," Mary said, turning around immediately. After she had set the plates on the island in front of the chairs, she turned to the four and said, "Where are the rest of you?"

"Upstairs still," Beckett said, watching Julia hurrying over to look at the stove where Skye was cooking. "And why are you doing that?"

"Because I'm Irish. Thick oatmeal that sticks to your ribs," the investigator replied, smiling when Julia started to laugh before she turned to the teen as she spoke.

"Who told you that?" she inquired.

"Both my dads," Skye replied. "And while it luckily doesn't stick to your ribs, it's bracing on a cold day like today."

"Now I realize why you took over," Castle said. "You're both freezing, aren't you?"

"We are," Mary said before her wife could. She smiled at Skye before she said, "We make this when it gets colder back home."

"So not that often?" Castle asked.

"Dada, down," Josie suddenly said, trying to get out of his hold.

"And where are you going to go?" Beckett asked the toddler.

"Down," Josie said firmly.

"Well… you better stay in the house," Castle said, moving to set her down. Watching with the other three as Josie began walking down the hall, he couldn't help chuckling when she went to the doors of the game room before hitting one once with her hand.

"'lexis, open," Josie said. When there was no response she frowned and said, "Open, please."

"Hold on," Alexis said, struggling with the urge to laugh while she opened the doors. She hugged Josie when her baby sister was doing so to her and she asked, "What're you doing?"

"Up?" Josie asked.

"Not at the moment," Louis said, walking up to them. "But I think you can let me pick you up so you can say good morning to your sister." Seeing the way she was looking at him he said, "At least I think so."

"Let him pick you up," Alexis said with a smile when Josie turned back to her. She watched her sister turn to Louis and hold her arms up to him before she leaned over, sharing a kiss with Josie before they were looking at the stairs.

"Lizzy!" the toddler cried in joy when she saw her sister stepping into the hallway.

"Good morning," Eliza said, hurrying to them. She hugged Alexis before she gasped when something ran into her, and she giggled seeing it was Josie. "Morning to you too," she told her baby sister. "Is breakfast ready?" she asked.

"Eh," Josie said, smiling still.

"I think we need to go check," Alexis said in amusement before she was leading the way down the hall. Since their grandparents were there already, she hugged them both, assuring them she was fine before they were turning their attention to Skye.

"It's almost ready," the investigator said. "And the eggs too," Skye added since Beckett had started making some scrambled eggs for them.

"Don't forget the toppings," Mary commented, leaving the pantry.

"Do we need to set the table?" Julia asked.

"That would help," Castle said, getting bowls and smaller plates for them.

After Julia had set the table with Eliza's help, she saw her little sister looking at the coin drop game and said with a smile, "They won't want you to play."

"Just for a little," Eliza said with a responding smile.

"You can ask them if you want to," Julia replied. "I'm not."

"You're not what?" Alexis asked, walking into the room.

"Is that all you can stand and walk?" Eliza said with a soft giggle.

"I think it is," Alexis said, sitting down where she had at the table the night before. She looked at Eliza when she stepped up to her and told her, "They're sleeping right now."

"Oh," Eliza said with a frown. "Do you think I can play the game?"

"I can't say, Mom and Dad have to," Alexis replied with a smile.

Breathing out in a huff of annoyance, Eliza went to the doorway and nearly ran into her grandfather before she was asking him in a rush.

"You can't sweetie," Beckett said in amusement, walking inside past her father with some of the toppings for their oatmeal.

"But… we still have a little to leave," Eliza said in slight protest. "I could play the skeeball game! That's fast."

"Maybe after," Castle said, walking in with the bowl of oatmeal. "Skye wanted to use it," he told his wife in a rush seeing her peering at the bowl.

"If it's what you use for mashed potatoes…" the investigator said with a smile before trailing off, walking into the room with her wife and Martha.

Once they were gathered around the table Julia said, "I like using that better than a pot."

"She has a point," Castle said, looking at his wife, not surprised when she wasn't responding. "But a pot means less to clean," he told the girls since he was aware Eliza felt the same. He was going to say more when Beckett was putting her hand on his arm before he looked at her just when she began to speak.

"It's not a bad idea, but if we're in a hurry it's better to just use a pot," Beckett said. She half expected their middle daughters to respond but wasn't when they didn't since they were getting their oatmeal prepared. She smiled at Castle before turning to Josie to finish helping her with hers. Once the toddler's oatmeal was ready, she got her spoon and said, "Will you be okay feeding yourself sweetie?"

"Yes," Josie said, digging into her oatmeal.

"Not that much," Jim said, sitting on the other side of her. He helped her put some back and said, "You want to walk to school, don't you?"

"She's walking with us?" Skye asked.

"You're going?" Castle responded with his own question, voicing it in surprise.

"You don't need to," Beckett said before Skye or Mary could say anything.

"That's true… it is cold," the investigator said first, looking at her wife.

"Not really," Julia said.

"No? It snowed a bit yesterday," Skye told her.

"A few flakes and then it stopped," Julia replied with a shrug since she'd seen it after lunch herself.

"Is that normal?" Mary asked.

"Not normal, but they said this winter might be a little colder than normal," Castle explained.

"Oh great, we're back here for Christmas," Skye said in mock annoyance before she was smiling at the girls.

"We have the pool," Eliza said quickly.

"That's the only reason why we're coming," Skye said jokingly, smiling again when Eliza was giggling before the little girl's mother was commenting on the trip.

"So you don't really want to come?" Beckett asked.

Smirking, since her friend had started to smile herself, Skye said, "Yes, we do. Though that does beg the question of you coming to ours next year."

"We'll go," Julia said. She smiled when the others were looking at her and said, "I want to go for the parade."

"Sounds fair," Mary told her wife laughingly.

"It does, but we better finish the meal," Skye said.

Eliza wanted to ask why the investigator was changing the subject before she felt her sister nudge her side gently before she went back to her oatmeal. When they had finished, she asked eagerly, "Can I play?"

"One game," Beckett said.

"I'll stay with them," Alexis told her mother. She watched the others get up to start clearing the table before they were leaving her with her sisters.

"I hope my allowance won't be less this week," Julia commented.

"Why so worried?" Alexis asked her.

"Christmas presents?" Julia replied with her own question.

"Dad will give you extra you know," Alexis said before they were turning at Eliza's giggling. "Don't run Lizzy," she told her sister firmly since she was hurrying to the control panel.

"I know but you know Mom won't be happy if I didn't do my chores," Julia said. "Dad either," she added swiftly before she went to her sister while Alexis was standing up.

"Good to hear," the young woman said. Alexis smiled when her sister was looking at her in obvious confusion and she explained, "I want the twins to think the same way."

"Oh, that's easy just do what Dad did for you," Julia said.

"We will," Alexis replied, still smiling before they were looking at Eliza as she was calling out to them.

"Come and play too," the little girl said. "After I take my turn."

"My turn Lizzy," Josie said, tugging her sleeve.

"I'm surprised she stayed with us," Julia said, walking with Alexis.

"You know why," the young woman replied with a smile.

"But for this game?" Julia asked her.

Shaking her head Alexis said, "It doesn't matter."

"How long until the twins can play this?" Eliza asked.

"A while," Alexis replied laughingly. "Okay Josa," she told the toddler. "You need to let Lizzy have her turn, or we won't be able to all play."

"Thank you," Eliza said when her baby sister handed her the skeeball she was holding. When Josie pursed her lips she giggled and leaned over, sharing a quick kiss with her before she began.

At the same time in the kitchen Skye said, "You know what?"

"You're going to stay while we take them to school," Castle commented. "It wasn't hard to figure out."

"I figured it out," Louis commented with a smile.

"It doesn't matter," Beckett told them. "I know you want to stay."

"Why?" Martha asked.

"She wants to look at her investigations," Mary answered before her wife could. "Since I wouldn't let her do that last night."

"Good," Beckett said. When the investigator looked at her, she said, "You do need to take a break."

"Not surprised," Skye said with a smile before they were finishing. "And I'll help watch Alexis."

"You two are going out today, right?" Mary asked Jim and Martha.

"You don't want to?" Castle's mother asked her.

Smiling Mary said, "No, not with the game room here. I wanted to challenge Alexis to a game of pool."

Louis started to open his mouth to speak before realization came to him and he said, "Will you use another cue playing for her?"

Laughing, Mary said, "No clue, I'll ask her if we do that since I should ask her about the game in the first place."

"Good call," Louis said with a nod.

"Will I have that much time to look?" Skye asked Beckett.

"I have no idea," she told her friend honestly. "I would assume we're either waiting for him to bring Kipling in or he'll need us to help him look over everything again."

"I do have a question though," Castle said, walking over to them while he was drying his hands since he'd finished with the dishes. "You don't have any kind of animation for the flights?"

"There are," Skye said with a frown before Beckett was speaking a little perplexedly to her husband.

"Why would you want to see that?" she asked.

"I just… thought something might come up if we saw it," Castle said.

"If you just wanted to see it… grim but I can understand why a little," Skye replied. When the writer was looking at her with a frown she said reassuringly, "They're interesting to watch sometimes. Did you ever see the animation for TWA 800?"

"No," Castle said slowly, glancing at his mother.

"You saw it?" Jim asked Martha in surprise, seeing that glance.

"I did, but after it was… falling to the ocean," Castle's mother replied. "I really had nothing to tell investigators."

"Where were you?" Mary asked Castle.

"In Europe," he replied. "So coming back was… not fun."

Squeezing her husband's hand briefly Beckett then said, "Would the animation help you with the properties of the iron?"

"I'm not surprised you thought of that," Skye said, smiling briefly. She then said, "Trevor sent it in to be tested, luckily there's a place in New Jersey so it shouldn't take all that long."

"You haven't done it yet?" Castle asked in confusion.

Shaking her head Skye said, "The iron there was enough, but Trevor was right, what if there's an identifying element at a more microscopic level?"

"Which will take a while to test I think," Louis said before Skye was shaking her head again before she responded.

"Since they have the sample already it won't take that long this time around," the investigator said. "And it has priority."

"But how long will it take?" Castle couldn't help asking.

"They should have it tomorrow," Skye replied. "Hopefully you guys can wait."

"Luckily we have other things to look into," Beckett said.

"Is that it?" Castle asked.

"I wasn't the one cleaning," Beckett said in amusement since her husband was talking to her. She couldn't help laughing when something came to her and she said, "We can't really delay anymore."

"I realize that but she's not going to want to stop," Castle commented while she was walking with him to leave the kitchen.

"You wanted to change the rooms," Beckett said teasingly.

"Okay, maybe I did," Castle said before he was smiling when she was laughing. He squeezed her hand quickly since they were nearing the game room and once they were walking inside he saw Julia was playing the skeeball game. "Is that it?" he asked.

"It is," Julia replied, rolling the last one she had. "We have to go."

"We do," Beckett said, looking at Eliza.

"I know," the little girl said swiftly.

Walking to the entry with everyone else, Louis said, "I need to go right now… I should have mentioned that," adding the last in a rush when the others were turning to him.

"We had a feeling already," Beckett said, smiling when he turned to Alexis immediately and hugged her gently.

"I'll be fine," the young woman assured her husband. "Mary's staying with me remember."

"Still," Louis replied before they kissed briefly. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he told her after letting her go.

"Have a good day," Alexis said quickly when he was about to speak again.

"You know I need to say it," Louis said teasingly. When his wife rolled her eyes he told her, "Be careful. And call if you need to."

"I will," Alexis replied before she hugged him again. After they'd parted, she then told him, "Now go before you're any later than you need to be."

After Louis had said goodbye to them, Skye asked, "Is he already late?"

"Normally yes, but Charlie's been understanding," Alexis answered before she turned to her little sisters. Taking Eliza and Julia into her arms in turn she told them, "I want to hear about your days."

"We want to hear what you do," Eliza said. "Again," she added after realizing they'd basically said the same things the day before.

"Oh don't worry, she'll tell you," Mary said.

"Should I be worried?" Alexis asked the doctor with a smile.

"No, but I hope you like doing artwork," Mary said, nodding to Josie who was hugging Eliza.

"You're coming with us," the little girl was saying to her baby sister.

"Eh," Josie replied.

"And coming right back," Julia couldn't help saying laughing when her sister tried to hug Alexis.

"She's right, I'll see you then," the young woman assured Josie.

"We'll be back as soon as possible," Beckett said before her father was clearing his throat.

"Do you have to go take pictures?" Julia asked in surprise since he hadn't mentioned it so far that day.

"I'd like to get an early start on my Christmas shopping," Jim said. "Before the twins are born and we're all needed to help."

"I'll be fine with Mary," Alexis said quickly, looking at her grandmother while she'd spoken.

"We'll be back for lunch," Martha said, getting her scarf on.

"No you won't," Castle said. When his mother glanced at him, he commented, "You two have this tradition now."

"He's right Gram," Eliza said swiftly. "Go and have lunch with Grandpapa too, it'll be fun."

Laughing with Jim, Martha said once she'd calmed down, "Alright, we'll go but we'll be back after lunch."

"She's right, I have a few pictures to develop for gifts," Jim said.

"We'll see you at school," Julia said, she and Eliza hurrying to say goodbye to their grandparents. After she and her sister had said goodbye to Skye and Mary, they gave a final one to their sister and headed outside. Standing on the sidewalk shortly after she was waving with her family to Martha since she was in the passenger seat of the car. She then looked down the street and seeing Mari hurrying up to her she said, "That was my grandparents," surprised at her friend's reaction once she was close.

"Who was in the car before?" Mari asked.

"You must have seen Louis," Julia replied. "Where were you?" she asked with a slight frown.

"I had to ask my mom something; she was in her room," Mari said. "Skye and Mary didn't come with us?" she asked, looking back at the others.

"They're staying at the house," Julia replied. "I was kind of surprised," she added. When she saw the questioning look on her friend's face she explained, "Mary's staying today with 'lexis. I thought they'd want to walk and then go back."

"But it worked out for your grandparents," Mari pointed out.

"Yep," Julia said before they were laughing.

"You're not worried about her?" Rebecca was asking Beckett.

"No," she replied with a smile since they'd let Eliza take Dani and Josie. Looking at the lawyer then, Beckett asked, "What happened?"

"There's going to be media attention," Rebecca said with a sigh after she'd hesitated for a moment.

"Of course there will be," Castle said. "Though I'm guessing it's because of that APB on the journalist."

"Since he's from the Report I think that's where it started," Rebecca said.

"You have more you aren't telling us?" Beckett asked wryly.

"Conners, David's aide called him last night after Brad filled him in on the case," Rebecca said. "About twenty minutes after. Turns out the media was calling his office before he had a chance to leave. They want to know why he's being looked for and why the FBI isn't here too."

"I'm not surprised someone spotted Skye already," Castle muttered, his wife squeezing his arm gently before she responded to their friend.

"Is anything being said about her investigations?" Beckett asked.

"Not as far as I know," Rebecca replied before they had reached the street across from the school.

"I half expected reporters," Castle commented. He was surprised when his wife tapped his shoulder and turning to her saw some news vans at the high school parking lot. "How did they hear about the incident?" he asked rhetorically while they were crossing the street with the girls.

"I thought that was a matter of public record," Darnley said from behind them.

"Why-" Beckett started to say with a frown since her friend had texted her that his family would be leaving later to see if Nkosi could walk with him and their kids.

"I had the chance to go," the investigator said. "Though I thought Skye would be here," he admitted.

"She was going to look over her cases… investigations," Castle started to say before he corrected himself quickly.

"I'm not surprised," Nkosi said before they were entering the quad and stopped in front of the elementary school.

"Pay attention in class," Castle said to Julia after she had hugged her sisters tightly.

"I know," the teen replied before she shared a quick embrace with him.

"And remember your technique," Beckett told her firmly.

"Oh don't worry, Skye talked to me about that and said I better," Julia said, smiling when her mother did. "You don't have to worry about me Mom, they won't come to me."

Studying her daughter for a moment, Beckett nodded and hugged her telling her, "Don't worry."

"Just be safe," Julia replied. She wasn't surprised when her mother cupped her cheek for a moment, and she then hurried to join Mari in walking to the middle school building.

"Are you sure you're not going to try and contact them?" the girl said.

Snorting Julia said, "I'd be a little stupid if I did, they'll go to Skye when they're ready."

"Will you come over for lunch?" Mari asked once they were at the stairs leading up to the building.

"Yeah, even if it's just me I'll join you," Julia said. "Though I have food this time."

"Me too, that's what I was asking Mom about," Mari said. "But she told me I'd made the box so…" she then started to say before trailing off. She was about to mention what she'd made when Julia was looking at her watch and speaking in a rush.

"I better go, I need to drop off all my books for the second half," she said, shaking her head. "See you later."

"See you," Mari said, smiling at her tone.

Turning away, Julia had just taken a step away before she looked back at her friend and called, "And I want to see what you made for your bento box."

"Yours too," Mari said with a smile.

"How did you-" Julia started to say.

"I know you like to make boxes as much as I do," Mari interrupted her. "Go, or we'll both be late."

Nodding, Julia smiled at her friend and waved at Clive walking up behind her before she turned back around. Getting into the high school building, she paused when she walked to the start of the wing where her locker was. 'You need to speak with Skye,' she said in her mind, sensing her grandmothers with her as she studied one of the four.

She can't help me, but you can, the young woman said. You have a sister close to my age.

'Is that why you came to me?' Julia asked. When the woman nodded, she said, 'Go to Skye, she has way more experience than I do.'

But… the woman started to say before she trailed off.

Stepping up to her locker, Julia glanced around to see if anyone noticed her standing in the hall for a few minutes. Not seeing the other students looking at her she then said, 'She's not scary, she'll help it's what she does.'

What if I can't help her though? she asked. I want to go.

'See her,' Julia said, glancing to her right while she was getting her books out of her backpack.

"Hey Julia," Peter said, stepping up to his locker. When she didn't turn from where she was looking, he glanced down the hall and asked, "Those people again?"

"No, just one," Julia replied. She shook her head and closed the locker door saying, "She wanted to talk to me, I think Skye intimidated her."

"Why would she?" Peter said with a frown. Before his partner could respond to that he heard Dawn calling to them, turning with Julia to watch her approach with her girlfriend while she spoke.

"Are you guys ready?" the teen asked.

"As ready as we can be," Julia said with a smile. She wasn't surprised when her friends laughed at her tone, and she made sure her lock was set before she put her backpack on again and made her way with them to their first class.

"I knew it," Castle said while he and Beckett were leaving the school with Rebecca.

"We have no comment," Beckett said firmly to the reporters walking up to them.

"But can't you tell us why a reporter is involved with the NTSB?" a man asked.

"You'll have to wait for a statement from the Hamptons P.D." Beckett told them before they managed to get by.

"What about the mayor!" one woman called.

"Mayor Foster will have a statement soon," Rebecca replied before they were leaving. "Are-" she started to say before she cut herself off when she saw Beckett was holding her phone.

"Was David going to speak to the media?" Castle asked after they'd crossed the street.

"He was, he saw social media about it," Rebecca replied. "So don't worry."

"I kind of do," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she looked at him in surprise and explained, "I'm not sure if he can say anything to really satisfy them."

"Can anyone?" Beckett asked her husband, her eyebrow raised before she was waving to Darnley and Nkosi who were hurrying to them.

"What did he say?" Castle asked her since she'd put away her phone.

"They have a statement ready; they'll release it when they get there," Beckett said since they could hear numerous cars leaving from the school.

"The reporters?" Darnley asked.

"You saw them?" Beckett responded with her own question.

"Of course, plus someone in Maddy's class told me," Darnley explained

"Do you need to go in?" Rebecca asked the four.

"No, if he needs to handle the media then he'll be busy with that," Beckett said, rolling her eyes.

"And that's going to take some time," Castle said. "Time he could use looking at other… well, looking into other avenues for the case."

"At least they left us alone," Rebecca said after they were quiet for a while, able to tell the writers were a little irritated.

"And we're home now," Beckett said since they'd reached the Darnley house.

"You're sure we don't need to go?" he asked her.

"I'm sure," Beckett assured him, squeezing his arm before letting go. "We'll text you," she told him before he nodded while he responded.

"You better, it's the two of us this time," Darnley said.

Telling the two men goodbye while Nkosi was opening the door in their wall, Rebecca said, "I'm going to head down to my house."

"Work?" Castle asked.

"Yes, I have a case I really need to focus on," Rebecca said.

"It doesn't have anything to do with the Eris company, does it?" Castle asked.

"Not that I know of," Rebecca said. "But if I hear about it, I'll let you know."

"That would help," Castle said, he and his wife stopping at the door in the wall around their front yard.

"I would say I'll see you later but…" Rebecca said.

"Tomorrow at the very least," Beckett commented.

"Good luck," Rebecca told them before she was heading down to her house.

"Are you okay?" Castle then addressed Josie.

"No," the toddler said.

"I hope she's not scared," Beckett stated.

"We did walk through those reporters," Castle said in slight concern.

"Are you scared sweetie?" Beckett asked the toddler, smoothing her hair gently.

"Should we believe her?" Castle asked while they were watching her shaking her head. He wasn't surprised when Beckett looked at him in obvious uncertainty and he said, "Well, we have time to see how she'll behave when we go inside and there are two psychologists in there."

Beckett couldn't help smiling when Josie suddenly squealed and she said, "What're you thinking of?"

"Games," the toddler said eagerly, clapping her hands together.

"I think that's our cue," Castle said, not surprised at his wife's response.

"Yes, but that's after your show," Beckett was saying to their youngest. "You don't want to watch it?" She shared a smile with Castle when the toddler was nodding rapidly, and she watched him turning to put the code for the door so they could head back inside.